Journal OF THE Patent Office Society Published monthly by the Patent Office Society Office of Publication 3928 New Hampshire Ave., Washington, D. C Subscription $2.50 a year Single copy 25 cents EDITORIAL BOARD E. C. Reynolds, Chairman and Editor-in-chief. A. H. Winkelstein, Case editor M. O. Price, Periodical abstracter. E. R. Cole W. I. Wyman Max Tusker M. L. Whitney, Business Manager (Room 182, U. S. Patent Office.) 3928 New Hampshire Ave., Washington, D. C. N. E. Eccleston, Circulation. Entered as second class matter, September 17, 1918, at the post office at Washington. D. C., under the act of March 3, 1879. Publication of signed articles in this journal is not to be understood as an adoption by the Patent Office Society of the views expressed therein. The editors are glad to have pertinent articles submitted. VOL. VIII. January, 1926. No. 5 COMMENT. On the date of the Commissioner's departure for Europe there were 42,407 applications awaiting action; on his return there were only 39,122, a gain of 3,285. This is in spite of the fact that during this time the receipts have been very heavy, the Office having received 1,607 new and 3,959 amended cases more than in the same period of the previous year, so that the net relative gain has been 8,851. The progress which has been made in the last two years can be seen from the following table: While the gain in new cases is much greater than in amended, it must be borne in mind that it is more difficult to reduce the old work than the new, since any material decrease in the number of new cases on hand is immediately reflected in a corresponding increase in the number of amendments. HAGUE CONFERENCE. The American delegation to the International Conference for the Protection of Industrial Property have returned and their report is now in the hands of the State Department. While this report is not at present in condition to be made public, some idea of what was accomplished can be obtained from the reprint from the Christian Science Monitor which appears elsewhere in this is sue. THOMAS A. WITHERSPOON. Announcement of the death of Mr. Thomas A. Witherspoon on November 24 came as a great shock to many members of the Examining Corps and his professional associates in Washington. He was ill only about six weeks. Mr. Witherspoon was graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1883 and after the usual two-year cadet cruise required of graduates, was honorably discharged from the Navy in June 1885. He received law degrees from the old Columbian College, now George Washington University, D. C. He entered the office as fourth assistant examiner in November 1885 and was promoted through the grades to primary examiner, obtaining that rank April 1, 1895. He was first placed in charge of Division 32, and subse quently served as chief of Division, 13, 3 and 22. He resigned from the Office April 1, 1907 to enter the firm of Wilkinson, Fisher and Witherspoon. This firm was later merged into the firm of Wilkinson, Witherspoon and Mackaye. During his last years, however, Mr. Witherspoon was in practice for himself. He was a member of the Cosmos Club and the American Patent Law Association as he was well versed in matters pertaining to chemistry and electricity, in addition to his being a lawyer. He was for many years a member of the American Electrochemical Society. Mr. Witherspoon leaves a widow, a brother and two sisters besides a wide circle of business friends and associates who will miss his advice and counsel. Interment was in Arlington National Cemetery. DR. GUSTAV BISSING. Dr. Gustav Bissing, a well-known figure in patent law and engineering business, died November 25, 1925 after a short illness; he was sixty-three years of age. A graduate and doctor of Philosophy of Johns Hopkin University, he entered the Patent Office as fourth assistant examiner October 5, 1884; he was promoted through the various grades of assistant examiner and made principal examiner on November 13, 1889; he was placed in charge of Div. 16, then as now handling inventions along electrical lines. He resigned from the Office January 31, 1898. After leaving the Patent Office, he entered the firm of Lyons and Bissing, in Washington, and after that partnership was dissolved he practiced law in New York for a time. Large business interests engaged the greater part of his time after he left the Patent Office. Dr. Bissing will be remembered among the older men of the Examining Corps, and his death will be remarked by all having had acquaintance with him, as the passing of a man of remarkable ability. |